A line striper for ground marking with a sprayable fluid includes a horizontal frame, a front wheel mounted to the horizontal frame, a left rear wheel and a right rear wheel mounted to the horizontal frame, a rear axle extending from one or both of the left rear wheel and the right rear wheel, a mounting arm assembly connected to the horizontal frame, a spray gun mounted on the mounting arm assembly and positioned for spraying the ground, a pump mounted on the horizontal frame, the pump configured to pump the sprayable fluid to the spray gun, and a fluid reservoir support stage removably positioned over the horizontal frame.

A line striper includes a frame supported by a plurality of wheels, a spray gun supported by the frame and positioned for ground spraying, a pump for supplying line striping fluid to the spray gun, the pump supported by the frame, an electric motor for driving the pump, the motor supported by the frame, a motor control attached to the motor and electrically connected to the motor, an inverter electrically connected to the motor control, the inverter supported by the frame, a first battery electrically connected to the inverter, the first battery supported by the frame, and a power switch electrically connected to the inverter, the motor control, and the first battery, the power switch supported by the frame.

Presented herein are a system and method (i.e., utilities) for monitoring the flow of materials used to mark road surfaces and other surfaces. The utilities utilize one or more flow meters to monitor individual flow rates of individual spray guns and may also utilize one or more pressure sensors to monitor and control individual flow rates.

An apparatus for applying fluid material to a road or runway surface may be provided in which the apparatus comprises: a material distribution bar to be extended laterally and parallel but spaced from the surface, the bar having closed ends and defining a laterally-extending fluid distribution slot through which material is to be pumped; a system for providing material under pressure in a flow path; and a valve disposed between the material distribution bar and the system for providing material under pressure, to selectively open and close to control the flow of material from the system to the material distribution bar and the a fluid distribution slot.

A system configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a paint-striping machine having a carriage, an outrigger operably connected to the carriage, and a downwardly oriented nozzle carried by the outrigger. The carriage moves along pavement while the nozzle dispenses paint, thereby forming a paint stripe on the pavement. The system further includes a guidance system operably connected to the paint-striping machine. The guidance system includes a light-emitting device and a mounting and containment assembly that provides an adjustable connection between the light-emitting device and the paint-striping machine. The light-emitting device forms a planar light region having a vertical orientation. The mounting and containment assembly includes an adjustment mechanism operable to move the light-emitting device relative to the paint-striping machine, thereby changing a yaw angle of the planar light region.

A line striper having a spray control system includes a spray gun, a lever, first and second cables, a manual actuator, and an assisted control. The lever is configured to move between a spray position and an inactive position. The first cable is mechanically linked to the lever. The manual control is mechanically linked to the first cable and configured to pull the first cable rearward to move the lever into the spray position. The second cable is mechanically linked to the lever. The assisted control is configured to pull the second cable rearward to move the lever into the spray position. The lever is independently moveable relative to the first and second cables such that movement of the lever caused by the first cable does not compress the second cable and movement of the lever caused by the second cable does not compress the first cable.

In one aspect, a system for applying painted surface markings to roads, parking lots, fields and/or any other suitable surfaces is disclosed. The system may include a plurality of valves and associated spray nozzles mounted onto and/or within a manifold, with each valve being individually controllable in order to regulate the flow of paint being dispensed from the spray nozzles. For instance, a controller may be coupled to each valve in order to control the opening and closing of such valve, thereby controlling the flow of paint supplied to the corresponding spray nozzle. In addition, information regarding the surface marking to be applied (the design, dimensions, orientation, geographical location, etc.) may be stored within and/or received by the controller. The controller may then control each valve such that paint is applied to the surface to be marked via the spray nozzles in a manner that creates the desired surface marking.

A system configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a paint-striping machine having a carriage, an outrigger operably connected to the carriage, and a downwardly oriented nozzle carried by the outrigger. The carriage moves along pavement while the nozzle dispenses paint, thereby forming a paint stripe on the pavement. The system further includes a guidance system operably connected to the paint-striping machine. The guidance system includes a light-emitting device and a mounting and containment assembly that provides an adjustable connection between the light-emitting device and the paint-striping machine. The light-emitting device forms a planar light region having a vertical orientation. The mounting and containment assembly includes an adjustment mechanism operable to move the light-emitting device relative to the paint-striping machine, thereby changing a yaw angle of the planar light region.

In one aspect, a system for applying painted surface markings to roads, parking lots, fields and/or any other suitable surfaces is disclosed. The system may include a plurality of valves and associated spray nozzles mounted onto and/or within a manifold, with each valve being individually controllable in order to regulate the flow of paint being dispensed from the spray nozzles. For instance, a controller may be coupled to each valve in order to control the opening and closing of such valve, thereby controlling the flow of paint supplied to the corresponding spray nozzle. In addition, information regarding the surface marking to be applied (the design, dimensions, orientation, geographical location, etc.) may be stored within and/or received by the controller. The controller may then control each valve such that paint is applied to the surface to be marked via the spray nozzles in a manner that creates the desired surface marking.

The invention relates to a method for marking sports field by placing stripes of paint according to a predefined plan via a spraying nozzle on a level playing surface such as grass, gravel, ice, artificial grass or synthetic material field. A robot unit is provided that is configured to move along the stripes according to the predefined plan. The robot unit receives signals from a number of GPS sending units and continuously calculates its current position on the sports field, and uses the current position on the sports field to calculate a set of control signals to two or more movable elements for propulsion of the unit and for controlling the emission of paint. The invention also relates to a robot unit and use of a robot unit for marking fields.